Palaceside Building 60th Anniversary
SINCE 1966
1963–1989
1963
On October 26, 1963, the Mainichi Shimbun ran a large front-page notice in its morning edition under the headlines “Tokyo Head Office Moves to a New Building” and “Giant Building Near the Imperial Palace.”
The new building, to be developed by three owners including Reader’s Digest, was named the Palaceside Building. With construction costs alone reaching 10 billion yen, a major project was set in motion.
1964-1966
The building was designed by a young team at Nikken Sekkei led by Shoji Hayashi, then 35 and head of the planning department. Construction was carried out by a joint venture of Obayashi Corporation and Takenaka Corporation.
Completion was fixed for September 30, 1966. Under the demanding condition of a 27-month schedule—little more than two years—construction began on July 1, 1964.
1966
Takebashi Station on the Tozai subway line, connected directly to Palaceside Building, opened in March 1966. It was the long-awaited birth of a terminal not only for those connected with the building but for people commuting to nearby offices and schools.
About half a year later, on October 1, Palaceside Building opened. Under a cloudless autumn sky, an opening reception was held for some 4,000 invited guests.
1966
Beneath Palaceside Building lay a vast newspaper printing plant.
The Mainichi Shimbun installed ten of the newest rotary presses, then the most capable in the world, each printing 150,000 copies an hour. This state-of-the-art plant, with printing capacity that defined its era, went into operation the moment the building opened.
1967
Born before the Imperial Palace, Palaceside Building drew a steady stream of visitors who came to admire its beautiful form and dignified presence while touring the newspaper.
When Hato Bus launched its “Everyday Social Studies” course in March 1967, with a stop at the Mainichi Shimbun, the rush of visitors accelerated and Palaceside Building became “Tokyo’s new landmark.”
Commemorative events were held ahead of the first anniversary of the opening in October 1967.
1982
On January 1, 1970, the building’s address changed from 1 Takehira-cho, Chiyoda-ku to 1-1-1 Hitotsubashi, Chiyoda-ku, preserving the historic place name Hitotsubashi.
On February 21, 1972, the Mainichi Shimbun marked its centennial—the first Japanese newspaper to reach 100 years of publication.
Home to the newspaper, Palaceside Building became not only a base for reporting but also a base for the newspaper’s cultural activities.
1990–2003
1992
Ahead of its 25th anniversary, Palaceside Building drew up a five-year refresh plan in February 1990 that included a complete renovation of the restrooms, introducing bidet toilets, and automatic doors at the east and west entrances.
The sustained effort to strengthen maintenance since completion was rewarded in 1992 with the prestigious first BELCA Award (now established by the Building and Equipment Long-life Cycle Association).
1999
In 1999, Palaceside Building was selected as one of the 20 representative works of modernist architecture in Japan by DOCOMOMO (headquartered in the Netherlands), an academic organization devoted to preserving and passing on the historical value of modern architecture. It was the only postwar office building to be selected.
The reason given: “the beautiful combination of circle, line, and surface that symbolizes Japanese modern architecture.” The selection established Palaceside Building’s reputation as a historic architectural masterpiece.
2011
On the afternoon of March 11, 2011, the Great East Japan Earthquake, magnitude 9.0, struck, and Tokyo recorded a seismic intensity of upper 5.
Having completed seismic renewal work the previous year, Palaceside Building suffered only minor damage compared with other buildings, yet full restoration took two years.
2015–2026
2015
Alongside its cultural activities, the Mainichi Shimbun is committed to sports. One long-standing example is presenting the championship portraits awarded to Grand Sumo tournament winners.
In 2015, a photo exhibition on yokozuna Hakuho, who was then rewriting the all-time record for championships, was held in the gallery at Palaceside Building, and Hakuho himself visited.
As an official partner of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, held in 2021, the Mainichi Shimbun also promoted sports through its reporting.
2023
As eras turned from Showa to Heisei to Reiwa, the building’s refined presence has not changed.
The graceful form of Palaceside Building, in harmony with the green of the Imperial Palace, has been preserved since its completion. Its timeless beauty of form radiates an appeal greater than ever.
